Exodus Eternal

Chapter 4: Revelations in Blood

Vesta felt Condra Tae's arms slide under her body, causing pain to shoot up her side. As she cried out, he hesitated, then continued to carry her past the examination area and into the low gray building.

“Merlot," she gasped. “Where's my cat?"

Vesta was carried through halls filled with humans and outerworld beings alike. She was swept right into a brilliant, white room that was bustling with action. Tae's voice rang out and several gray-clothed outerworld beings ran towards him. Vesta felt herself lowered onto a firm surface and tried to look around. As the door to the crowded halls closed behind her, Vesta saw a silver box with holes sitting firmly under Tama's arm.

She took a shallow breath.

The room was long with bed-like structures spaced equally throughout the room. The lights were dim, except over the bed Vesta was laying on. One of the gray-coated beings swung a wide, white arm over the bed. On the white arm was a thin screen with glowing lights and flashing buttons. The screen part of the arm was positioned over Vesta's wound and the gray-coats leaned close. Their mumbling and concerned voices rose and fell in volume, matching the beeping and chirps of the equipment. Vesta was struggling to breathe now. She could see Condra Tae standing still and serious by the door. Brille slid into the room and stood by Tae.

The dark haired male straightened his gray coat and turned nervously. Taking a narrow, pen-like utensil, he touched her wound. Hot pain erupted and Vesta screamed in terror. Condra Tae leaped towards the table, but the other beings stopped him with hushed whispers.

“Stop! Stop! What are you doing?" Vesta cried.

She struggled, causing the outerworld doctors to scramble to hold her down. Brille dashed forward and spoke in a strange, harsh language. He turned to Vesta after a quick conferral.

“Breath easy. Stay calm. We will stop your pain."

Tae slowly went back to his position by the door. Vesta could feel her body trembling, the voices around her anxious but steady. She felt something being pressed against her arm and turned to look, but a gray glove gently pushed her head back. Suddenly the pain decreased and Vesta's breathing evened out.

“Ah, I'm starting to feel better. Thank you," she whispered.

Brille spoke again, “The doctors must examine you and take a bit of blood for your health."

“What?" Asked Vesta, slightly dizzy, and suddenly exhausted.

“Your blood will tell us if you are healthy and disease-free," Brille explained slowly.

Vesta nodded, “What happened? Why are we here? When can we go home?"

Brille blinked, his gray eyes thoughtful, “Just rest. You live here now."

“But, my family..." Vesta lifted her head. A female doctor pressed her head firmly on Vesta's head. Brille motioned for her to lay back, “Talk later."

“Wait, Brille…" Vesta took a breath. “Where is my cat?"

“Cat…the black hairy animal?" Brille asked. “It is outside there."

He pointed to the door. Vesta sighed and watched the male doctor retrieve a long, narrow, silver tube. Her gaze froze as he removed the end and revealed the size of the needle that was going to go into her arm.

The white arm was moved off to the side and the doctor took Vesta's arm. He stared at her arm. He rubbed her arm. The doctor took her hand and turned it from one side to the other.

“Have you done this before?" Vesta asked incredulously. She cast a worried glance over at Tae and Brille. “Has he taken blood before?"

Brille spoke to the doctor who glared and turned his back to the translator. Without a word, the other doctors took hold of Vesta, immobilizing her arm.

The doctor brought the needle to Vesta's skin and she prepared herself for the prick of the needle.

“Ouch, Ouch!" Vesta moved to look at her arm, but she was held down. She struggled harder.

Condra Tae stepped forward again, but two gray-coated doctors gestured and spoke rapidly, backing him up and making him reluctantly leave the room.

“Brille," Vesta cried. “What are they doing?"

Brille hesitated, “He is having a hard time."

The doctor finally succeeded and withdrew the needle.

“I'm definitely complaining about customer service," Vesta tried to joke as she held her throbbing arm.

She was greeted with blank stares and a confused Brille. One of the beings handed her a cuplike object with a translucent red liquid.

Vesta looked up to ask the translator what it was, but he had left the room.

“What is this?" she asked loudly. “Do I drink it, swish it or just hold it?"

The three medical beings were standing in front of a screen with green, red and white lines swirling in vortex patterns. A pale-eyed, white haired female turned around and motioned with her gray-gloved hand. Seeing Vesta hesitate, she came over and gently guided the cup to Vesta's mouth.

With a grateful smile, Vesta took a tentative sip. The drink was thicker than water, but with a slight floral taste. Realizing how thirsty she really was, Vesta gulped the drink down in two swallows.

Before she could ask for more, the doors to the room slid open abruptly, and two panicked outerworld beings burst in carrying a large bundle. The doctors moved away from the swirling lines on the screen and immediately swung the white arm over the squirming bundle. Vesta stared.

The bundle was a child.

The little being whined and reached for its parents, who spoke with the doctors constantly. The female doctor mixed something in a cup, then gave a drop to the child. Its whining diminished into mumbles as the child fell into an uneasy sleep. The parents stayed by the white arm and watched the blinking lights as the doctors went back to looking at the screen with swirling lines.

Vesta swung her legs over the side of the bed and went to stand up. The doctors turned at once and ran over waving hands and making it clear Vesta was not to move.

“Brille?" Vesta asked. “I need Brille, and my cat."

The translator was brought in, looking exhausted. He gave the child a nervous look.

“Did you have a long day?"

Brille paused and blinked, then shrugged, “I have much to do. There are not too many of us that know your language."

“My cat, can I have my cat?" Vesta asked hastily. “Can I find my parents?"

The small child moaned from the bed across from Vesta.

Brille looked over worriedly, “I cannot bring the cat here. We are still bringing refugees to Sael and will locate your family once we have examined and documented arrivals."

Vesta realized she would have to wait. She sighed loudly, then nodded to the little being.

“What is wrong with the little one?"

“It is a fever from a very bad sickness. Many …of us… are ill," the translator shuffled closer to Vesta and leaned closer. “Do not get close. You will not survive."

Vesta recoiled, “What?"

Brille lifted a hand to encourage Vesta to remain quiet. The doctors looked at them over their shoulders. One spoke to Brille.

“The sickness has spread far. Stay away from the sick ones," he said quietly. “Follow me, I will take you to get an information card."

Vesta carefully followed Brille out of the medical room. The chaos from earlier seemed to have settled down. Vesta felt her heart jump when she saw Condra Tae speaking to his crewmates nearby. Tama still held a silver box that seemed to be sprouting black hair.

“Merlot!" Vesta moved towards her cat, but the translator took her arm.

“Card first, cat later."

Brille walked over to an alcove and spoke to a tall, extremely tanned outerworld being, dressed in a crisp navy-blue long coat and matching pants. Brille was given a square, disklike object. He casually walked over to Vesta and began asking her questions such as her name, age, s*x, height, and location of living (she assumed that meant her home address). She felt like she was back in school, or applying for a job. When they were finished, Brille opened the square and took out a pale, translucent yellow card with black symbols on it.

As Vesta inspected the object, Brille took out a stiff string and tied it around the card. He motioned for her to put it around her neck. As she did so, an angry meowing filled her ears. Poor Tama had attempted to remove Merlot from his now comfortable box. Vesta noticed he was now wearing a thick, red harness attached to a leash…and he did not like it.

Tama came over smiling, and said something in her language. She motioned at Brille.

“She says your pet is…angry."

Merlot leaped into Vesta's arms.

There was movement behind the group, causing them to turn to see the doctors walking briskly towards them.

“Condra Tae…Condra Tae," the male doctor beckoned the outerbeing commander, speaking mysteriously in a low voice.

“They want to speak to the commander and you must come too," Brille said intrigued.